New rector comes to St. Stephen’s

The Rev. Kelly O’Connell

The Rev. Kelly O'Connell has been named the rector-elect of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the congregation announced this week.

O'Connell will assume her new duties as leader of St. Stephen's parish on July 1.

O'Connell, 44, is a native of Cincinnati and a graduate of Kenyon College of Ohio. She received her Master of Divinity degree from The Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., in 1995 and was ordained priest in the Episcopal Church in 2000.

Prior to coming to St. Stephen's, Rev. O'Connell served as aide to the Episcopal bishop of Massachusetts and as associate and interim priest at several parishes in Massachusetts. Prior to receiving a call to St. Stephen's, she was rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in downtown Toledo, in the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio.

The Wardens and Vestry of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church made her appointment official May 20.

O'Connell will be joined here by her partner, Dr. Christina Laberge, and they plan on living in the Santa Clarita area. St. Stephen's is located at 24901 Orchard Village Road.